Some Tame Gazelle by Barbara Pym - 3 stars (Subdue)

[Joy D]

Some Tame Gazelle by Barbara Pym - 3* - My Review

Unmarried mid-aged sisters Belinda and Harriet Bede live together in a small English village. They center their lives around going to church and visiting with various clergymen. Belinda has carried a torch for the (now married) Archdeacon for decades. Harriet is involved in the close-knit community and regularly turns down marriage proposals from an Italian Count. If I had to describe this novel in one word, it would be “understated.” The narrative follows the daily lives of the characters. Very little happens. The main events are a church-related garden party and a wedding. The sisters host guests for tea and meals. They read books and sew. It is what I would call a “cozy” or “comfort” read. In addition, it makes the point that women can be completely happy while choosing to remain single, a view that would have been quite different from the norm for the time it was published (1950). The subtle humor made me smile. I enjoyed it as a nice change of pace.

[Robin P]

Sounds very Barbara Pym! All her novels are about quiet lives, mostly of women. I don't think I've read this one.

[Joy D]

This is her first novel. My favorite of hers is Quartet in Autumn. Do you have a favorite? I still have a few to go.